Three Sons of Castolon

By Jim Rice

We didn't get started on the trail until late morning.  After being dropped off on the River Road, we hiked across a white sandy desert decorated with large igneous rocks.  Even on this relatively flat terrain, we Rice brothers juggled our multiple egos and operandi for the best way to reach the base of Cerro Castolon.  Dan had experienced the climb (either firsthand or though the climbing of others) and knew there was a way up to the top.

Early into the hike the climbing was easy.  We almost hopped across the rolling foothills.  As we approached the base of Castolon the terrain changed dramatically.  Cerro Castolon loomed high above us, almost god like.  Its sides appeared to rise straight up and it looked more foreboding than it had from the road.  No longer were we moving swiftly; instead we found ourselves cooperating with each other to find a way up the steep sides.  Often, we took individual paths until someone shouted that their path allowed them to reach the next level. Then the climbing became nearly impossible.  Multiple attempts to find a pathway up led to dead-ends. Several times we had to stretch our arms and legs to reach across empty spaces, trust our footholds, and pull ourselves up with all our strength.  One of us finally found a path up a particularly difficult and steep climb along a rock slide.  Then it happened.  As we gathered and started climbing together, a large bolder broke loose, bounced like a beach ball and barely missed Ben's head as he crouched down in a crevice.  Almost lost my brother that day.

After we quit shaking we slowed our climbing pace, gave our prayers and realized we could be on an ephemeral mission up the mountain. Ben in a respectful voice said, "O.K. Mr. Mountain, let me up this time and I will never climb on your sides again".  Finally, we shuffled along a narrow ledge until we reached the flattened top.  We marked the trail that led to the top ledge with some yellow flower pollen, as we had found only one way up and presumably there was only one way down.  But the climb was worth it.  The view on the top was fantastic!  In those days the horizon was clear and we could see deep into the Sierra Madres.  We embraced in our mission's success and good fortune and gingerly headed back down the slopes of Castolon.

We arrived back at Rio Vista after dark.  We could hear the campfire voices as the sound carried up the river.  As Dan, Ben and I sat around the glowing campfire we realized that this brotherly journey was more than just a climb for us.  This mission would forever change the way we interacted with each other as brothers.